Magazine tack-hammer.



PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906.

W. F. GANT.

MAGAZINE TACK HAMMER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1905.

inventor.

Witnesses Attorneys ANUREW. 5. Guam 4:0,. PNOTO-LHHOGRAPHERS, wAsmnpvon. 0 c4 UNITED STATES PgfENT OFFICE.

No. saatal.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jul... 12, 1906.

Application filed May 23,1905. Serial No. 261,889.

To whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, \VIL'LIAM F. GANT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Reidsville, in the county of Rockingham and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Magazine Tack-Hammer, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to magazine tackhammers; and it is a particular object of the invention to provide for tacking signs in elevated or overhead positions which are ordinarily inaccessible except by the means of a ladder or the like. In this connection it is proposed to equip the device with means ca pablc of supporting signs of different sizes upon the device in such a manner as to enable the convenient placing of the sign in the desired position and to hold the sign when thus placed during the tacking or hammering operation.

Another object of the invention is to facilitate the manipulation of the hammer memher and to automatically effect a feeding of the tacks to the hammer member in a simple and efficient manner.

lVith these and other objects in View the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a magazine tack-hammer embodying the features of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail plan section showing the tack-feeding mechanism. an enlarged sectional view one end of the sign-holder. perspective view of one of the tack-magazines. Fig. 6 is a detail fragmentary view illustrating the device employed as a carpetstretcher and tacker.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in each and every figure of the drawings. a 1

The present device includes a handle 1, made up of a series of detachably-connected sections,so as to obtain any desired length of handle, there being a longitudinally-bifurcated head2 detachably connected to the Fig. 4. is taken through Fig. 5 is a detail forward end of the handle. \Vithin the head there is a hammer made up of a shank or stem 3 and a head 4, the latter being a permanent magnet. The rear end of the stem or shank of the hammer is bifurcated, as shown at 5 in Fig. 1, so as to straddle a crossbar 6, piercing the walls of the bifurcated portion of the head and upon which .the shank or stem is designed to swing as a pive otal support. The forward movement of the hammer is limited by means of a stop 7 in the nature of a cross-bar piercing. the sides of the bifurcated portion of. the head just below the hammer-head 4, said bar preferably being provided with a rubber or other yieldable sleeve to take up the jar and reduce the noise incident to the stem of the hammer striking the stop. Moreover, the stem ofthe hammeris held against the stop 7 bymeans of a helical spring 8, having its lower end con nected to the handle, as shown at 9, and its upper end provided with a cord 10, rising therefrom and passing rearwardly across a pulley 11, mounted in the front of the bifurcated portion of the head adjacent the upper end of the stem of the hammer, the upper end of the cord being provided with a hook or eye 12, engaging a hook or eye 13, carried by the stem of the handle.

sion of the spring 8 there is an actuatingcord 14, which has one end secured to the rear side of the handle, as at 15, from which is rises and passes over a pulley 16,.carried by the rear free end of an arm 17 the inner end of the latter being hooked and detachably engaged with a clip 18, embracing the stem of the hammer. It will here be noted that the hook 13, to which the upper end of the cord 10 is connected, is carried by the front side of the clip 18. By drawing down upon the free end of the cord 14 the hammer will be swung rearwardly upon its pivotal support 6, and upon releasing the cord 14'tl1e spring 8 will swing the hammer forwardly with considerable force,.so as to drive a tac by impact of the forward end of the head of the hammer with the tack.

As hereinbefore indicated, it is proposed. to equip the present device with tack holding and feeding mechanism to automatically feed the tacks one at a time to the hammer. This mechanism includes a tack-magazine 19, (shown in detail in Fig. 5 of the drawings) and in the nature of a flat metallic tube having a longitudinal slot 20 extending throughout its For drawing the hammer against the ten-.

entire length and intersecting opposite ends thereof, each end of the slot being open and one end of the tube being pinched, as at 21, so l as to close said end of the tube and prevent the entrance and exit of tacks at this point. The tacks have their heads received within the tubular magazine with their shanks projecting outwardly through the slot of the tube, one of such tacks being shown at 22 in Fig. 5. When the magazine is filled with tacks, a spring-clip 23 is embraced upon the open end of the tube, so as to prevent the tacks from accidentally running out of said open end. This magazine is received within the forward end of the bifurcated portion of the head 2 and is supported therein at an angle of about forty-five degrees with respect to the path of the hammer-head by means of a flanged seat 24, carried by a back plate 25, secured between the sides of the bifurcated head. Between the hammer-head 4 and the lower end of the back plate 25 is a transverse partition 26, which serves as a support for the lower open end of the magazine and is provided in its front end with a bifurcation 27, extending forwardly from the lower open end of the magazine, to permit of the tacks dropping therethrough. The front of this bifur cation 27 is closed by means of a plate 28, extending across the front of the bifurcated portion of the head, so as to prevent the tacks from escaping outwardly through the for ward end of the bifurcation.

The mechanism for feeding the tacks one at a time from the tack-magazine to the hammer-head is best shown in Fig. 3 and consists of a spring-stem member 29, having its rear end fixed to the partition 26, at one side of the middle thereof and adjacent its rear end, as at 30, the front free end of the spring-stem being provided with a fork 31, having the extremity of one side bent inwardly to form a finger 32 and its other side having a similar finger 33, the first-mentioned side being inclined downwardly and the other side up wardly, so as to bring the finger 33 above the finger 32 to produce a horizontal open space between the slightly-overlapped free ends of the fingers. Rising from the top of the hammer-head 4 is a trip projection 34,working in a longitudinal bifurcation 35 in the back of the partition 26, the spring-stem 29 being inclined across thepath of the trip projection 34, so as to be moved laterally under the action of this projection, and thereby to work the tack-feeding fingers 32 and 33 back and forth across the lower open end of the tack-magazine.

In fitting the magazine in place the tack-retaining clip or band 23 is first removed. Then the entire device is moved to bring the magazine-receiving seat 25 into a substantially horizontal position, whereupon the magazine is slid endwise into the seat from its rear end. When the entire device is brought into an upright position, the shank of the lowermost tack will rest upon the top of the upper finger 33, so as to prevent the series of tacks from running out of the magazine. WVhen the hammer-head is moved rearwardly, the trip projection 34 travels away from the spring-stem 29 of the tack-feeder, whereby the finger 33 is drawn endwise away from the lowermost tack, and the entire series of tacks gravitates until the lowermost tack is arrested bythe lower feed-finger 32. When the hammer-head moves forwardly, the trip rojection 34 wiping along the stem 29 moves the latter sidewise, which withdraws the finger 32 from beneath the lowermost tack and moves the finger 33 between the lowermost tack and the next above tack, so as to support the series of tacks when the lowermost tack gravitates from the finger 32 downwardly through the opening 27 upon the top of the hammer-head 4. The head end of the tack of course being the heavier drops down upon the top of the hammer-head, upon which it is retained by means of the magnetic attraction of the hammer-head, which is a permanent magnet. As the hammer-head moves rearwardly the upstanding tack strikes against the rear wall of the bifurcation 27 and is held against rearward movement, and when the forward end of the hammeriead passes in rear of the rear end of the bifurcation 27 the head of the tack will fall over and be held against the front end of the hammer in position to be effectually driven when the hammer-head again flies forwardly. By this arrangement the tacks are fed one at a time by a step-by-step movement first to the top of the hammer-head and then to the forward end thereof, with the head of the tack against the hammer and its pointed end extending forwardly. The feed mechanism is entirely automatic and requires no attention upon the part of the operator after the magazine has been filled and fitted in place.

To provide for supporting signs in overhead positions while tacking the same, I employ a cross-head 35, designed to be supported transversely across the front of the bifurcated head just below the path of the hammerhead 4 by means of a seat or bracket 36. Adjacent the ends of this cross -head are supportingshoulders or member 37, upon which rest tubular telescoped members 38 and 39, there being hooked keepers 40 pivotally supported upon the cross-head and designed to be turned downwardly across the telescoped tubular members to detachably hold the latter in place and at the same time permit endwise movement of the tubular members for increasing and decreasing the length of the holder. In the outer end of each tubular member is a plug 41,from which extends a spring-finger 42, having a pointed outer end and its inner end constituting a shank driven into the plug, that portion of the shank which projects in front of the plug being twisted into a helical spring 43 to give flexibility to the finger.

In using the device for tackinga sign in an overhead position the sign-holding arms 38 and 39 are adjusted to the length of the-sign and the fingers 42 are thrust through the sign, it being here explained that this form of signholder has been particularly designed for use in connection with cloth signs. When the sign has thus been suspended from the holder, it is elevated to the desired position by means of the handle 1, whereupon the free end of the cord 14 is drawn downwardly, so as to retract the hammer 4 against the tension of the spring 8, and then the cord is released, so as to permit of the hammer flying forwardly to drive a tack through the upper edge of the sign. After this tack has been driven the device is shifted laterally, the sign and the sign-holding arms 38 and 39 being held against movement by means of the tack which has been driven through the'sign, and by continuing this shifting movement a series of tacks may be driven into the upper edge of the sign. After the upper edge of the sign has been secured in place a quick downward pull upon the handle of the device will draw the spring pins or fingers 42 out of the sign without tearing the same as the fingers are given the necessary flexibility.

To employ the device as a carpet stretcher and tacker, it is placed in the position shown in Fig. 6, with the handle inclined upwardly and rearwardly from the floor and the head of the hammer in position to drive a tack into the floor. In lieu of the sign-holder a car,

pet-stretcher member is substituted, said stretcher including a cross-head 44, corresponding to the cross-head 35 and received within the seat 36, said head havin a series of carpet-engaging teeth, one of Such has been shown at 45 in Fig. 6, so that by pressing forwardly upon the handle the carpet may be stretched, and then by manipulatingthe cord 14 the tacks may be successively driven into the carpet by means of the hammer 4.

From the foregoin description it will be understood that the device of the present invention has all of its parts compactly arranged and conveniently accessible for repairs and adjustment. By releasing the cord 10 from the hook 13 of the hammer the latter may be lifted off of the pivotal support 6, whereupon the arm 17 may be removed and the hammer employed as an ordinary tackhammer in such close quarters as are not accessible by the magazine-hammer. It is proposed to equip each hammer with a plurality of magazines, which are intended to be filled preparatory to using the device, so that as soon as one magazine becomes empty another one may be readily substituted therefor. Moreover, the magazines may be of different lengths, so as to hold a greater number of tacks, and they may also be shorter than the one illustrated, so as to avoid projection of the magazine beyond the front of the device when workingclose to a wall or other obstruction.

Having fully described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A device of the class described comprising a handle, a 1nagazine-hammer pivoted thereon, hammer-operating means carried by the handle, a tack-magazine leading to the top of the hammer, and means located between the hammer and the magazine and in the rearward path of a tack on the hammer to engage and arrest the rearward movement of the tack until the latter drops over upon the forward end of the hammer when the lat ter is being retracted preparatory to striking a blowf 2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a bifurcated head having a partition in the bifurcation with the partition slotted in its rear end and provided with an opening at its front end, a hammer working through the bifurcation at one side of the partition, a tacknnagazine located at the opposite side of, the partition. and leading through the opening therein, tack-feeding mechanism located between the partition and the discharge end of the magazine, and a trip projection carried by the hammer and working in the slot of the partition in operative relation with respect to the tack-feeding mechanism.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a bifurcated head having a transverse partition provided in its forward end with an opening and in its rear end with a slot, a hammer working through the bifurcation at one side of the partition, a tackmagazine located at the opposite side of the partition and leading to the opening therein, a spring-arm secured to the partition with its free end adjacent the opening therein and its intermediate portion extending across the slot, spaced overlapped feed-fingers carried by the free end of the arm and working across the partition between the opening therein and the discharge end of the magazine, and a trip projection carried by the hammer and working in the slot in frictional engagement with the spring-arm to work the feed-fingers across the discharge end of the magazine.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a bifurcated handle, a hammer working in the bifurcation and having a stem pivotally and removably mounted within said bifurcation, a guide in the bifurcation in front of the hammer, a hook upon the stem adjacent the guide, a spring in front of the hammer with one end connected to the handle, a cord having one end connected to the free end of the spring and its opposite end provided with a loop detachably engaging the hook, the intermediate portion of the &

cord Working through the guide, an arm carried by the hammer and extending in rear thereof, a guide upon the arm, and an actuating-cord having one end secured to the handle and its intermediate portion engaging the guide of the arm for retracting the hammer against the tension of the spring.

5. In a device of the class described, the combination of a handle, a hammer having a stem which is provided in its rear end with a bifurcation, a pivot supported upon the handle and detachably straddled by the bifurcated portion of the stem, a spring carried by the handle and detachably connected to the hammer to yieldably maintain the latter at one limit and to hold the stem upon its pivotal support.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a hammer, a magazine lead ing to the hammer, and work-engaging members adjustable toward and. away from one another and provided with work-engaging means.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a hammer, a magazine leading thereto, and adj ustably-telescoped workholding members having work engaging means.

8. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a hammer, a magazine leading thereto, a cross-head, and adjustablytelescoped work-holding members having work-engaging means.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a handle, a hammer, a magazine leading to the hammer, a cross-head carried by the handle, a support upon the crosshead, a work-holder loosely mounted upon the support, and a keeper carried by the cross-head and capable of adjustment into and out of engagement with the work-holder, the handle capable of adjustment upon the work-holder in the longitudinal direction thereof.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a handle, a hammer, a magazine, a work-holder, a support for the slidable reception of the work-holder, and a pivotal hook-shaped keeper capable of being turned into and out of engagement with the workholder.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. GANT.

IVitnesses:

S. R. ROBERTSON, JAMES IVIAODONALD. 7 

